Once Ruto's ardent critic, Raila's ODM Party now his great supporter

Niccolò Machiavelli, the famed author and philosopher who lived during the Italian Renaissance, said politics had no relation to morals, which must have had Kenya's leaders in mind. Prior to the Finance Bill 2024 protests, opposition leader Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party was the administration's most vocal opponent.

On Friday when Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi embarked on his first official assignment in Murang'a since he was appointed to the cabinet, it signaled the opposition party's change of towards their once "irredeemably incompetent" opponent.

Wandayi who was sworn in on Thursday alongside 18 other CSs was among the top state officials accompanying President William Ruto in his tour of the county.

Ruto was at the county to launch several development projects which included the last mile connectivity project. Wandayi was seen receiving Ruto at a homestead at Kirungu village for the launch of the project.

"Waziri, uko area?...your first assignment here?" Ruto said as they happily shook hands with the CS.

 "Nimekuja hapa na waziri anaitwa Opiyo Wandayi, ataanza kusukuma hiyo kazi," (I have come here with a new CS Opiyo Wandayi and he will help me push that work)," he said.

Ruto invited into his government John Mbadi to serve as Treasury CS, Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives) and Hassan Joho (Mining).

A difficult assignment of turning around the country's economy heavily battered by debt and a cash flow crisis, awaits Mbadi at the National Treasury.

Eyes are on how the CS, who previously criticised the government's tax and debt policies, will navigate the new task to address the economic woes faced by Kenyans.

He is taking over at a time the government has sustained a Sh500 billion revenue hole following the collapse of two tax laws, which Ruto's team banked on to deliver the Kenya Kwanza legacy.

Mbadi has to implement the 2024-25 budget, which had to be slashed to accommodate the tax revenue shortfalls.

This is happening against the backdrop of inflation, heavy debt repayments (some due in the medium term) and sporadic protests against further taxation.

Wandayi would also have to navigate concerns about high prices of electricity and frequent supply disruptions caused by an ageing infrastructure, inefficiencies and corruption.

Oil imports also remain a major issue in the ministry in the wake of the audit queries around the government-to-government contracting agreements, which have not handed motorists any relief at the pump.

Oparanya will be the man in charge of the Hustler Fund, which has been wrought by many audit queries.

Raila's men during their vetting turned out to be Ruto's defenders as they hastily swallowed their criticism of the government and its policies in a bid secure their cabinet positions.

Wandayi who was ODM's Secretary of Political Affairs elaborated his grand scheme to redeem the energy sector whose policies had driven Kenyans to the streets to protest high fuel prices.

He was following a path beaten by his former party chairman, John Mbadi, who had earlier pulled all stops to sanitise the government's economic policies swearing to uphold the bottom-up economic transformation agenda which he has been bashing for the last three years.

Mbadi, the new Treasury Cabinet Secretary, who was confronted by the slur he had made against some of the Cabinet Secretaries, referring them as skunks saying at the time, he was discharging duties as an opposition leader.

When put to task to show how he would implement the bottom-up economic plan given his previous objections, Mbadi said; "There is no difference in the concepts of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Both parties believe in social democracy. What UDA talked about is the same with what is in our manifesto... UDA talks about agriculture for value-addition and ODM talks about agriculture for manufacturing. It is all semantics."

Joho, the CS Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs was reminded about his famous remarks 'Myself I cannot work with Ruto, what will we be discussing?' The challenge came from Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda.

"You are quoted in public for having said I don't ever dream of engaging with Ruto,..mimi niongee na Ruto niongee na Ruto nini?" said Lesuuda adding "You will be sitting in a cabinet where he will be chairing, I would like to know how you will engage."

Despite the committee chairperson intervening to protect the former Mombasa governor from responding, the controversial statement was out and the former governor was quick at it claiming he had changed his mind.

"Only a fool does not change his mind. I have been a big critic of this government. Now I have an opportunity to create a difference. I will do exactly that," Joho said.

Joho also assured the panel that he would rise above local politics and assist President Ruto in uniting the country telling the members of the vetting panel that if approved he would focus on his mandate of serving the nation.

On February 10 2022, the former Mombasa governor dismissed Ruto's ability to deliver development to the people of Kenya if elected president. He claimed Ruto had demonstrated incompetence in the 10 years he served as deputy president.

While speaking in Vihiga County at an Azimio la Umoja rally, Joho said Ruto would not achieve anything even if he is given 20 years in office. "Ruto has been in office for the last 10 years and we have not seen his efforts in Kenya's development. We want to support Raila Odinga to create a level ground for other communities to get a chance for the top seat," he said.

Oparanya has been Ruto's harshest critic on his forays on opposition benches where on September 11 2022, he criticised leaders who were crossing over from the Opposition to join the government terming the move election fraud.

"It's unfortunate and if they are being enticed, that is election fraud, because you cannot be talking about Azimio just a week ago and days after you moved to Kenya Kwanza because you want favours. Those are the leaders I would say are cheap," he said.

Oparanya said if leaders continue defecting, Kenya might return to the Kanu days of only one political party.

"Kenya is a multi-party and we should respect that. We don't want to return to Kanu days where we used to have one party, dominating the political scene of the country," he said.